The Aftermath
by Lepidissima
Summary: Semi-angst oneshot. A post-death confrontation between Mrs. Lovett and Todd.


Mrs. Lovett came to with a start. She took a quick breath and shook her head slightly. She was standing in a nondescript sort of clearing, with vague shapes of trees looming all around. The air was misty, the temperature cool. Mrs. Lovett absently noticed the simple gray dress she was wearing, and half-wondered where it had come from.

Then the memories came crashing back, venomous and violent. Shuddering, she recalled the overwhelming pain of the blaze, the scalding heat of the oven, the raw dryness of her throat and eyes. But it paled spectacularly compared to the pain of betrayal, which clung to her even after her skin had shriveled away and her bones cracked from the rage of the fire.

And suddenly she saw him. Sweeney Todd, Benjamin Barker. He was clothed in a grayish suit, brooding as usual, fingering one of his razors. He stood a short distance away, and though Mrs. Lovett yearned ridiculously to run to him, she felt as if an immeasurable chasm separated him from her.

Then Todd turned his head and saw her. His lips parted slightly as if in surprise but there was no emotion in his shadowed eyes.

She held his gaze and refused to break the silence. Everything she had ever felt for him boiled in her heart a hundred times stronger than before. She somehow wanted him more desperately than ever, and despised herself for it.

After an infinite silence, Todd spoke. His voice was low and devoid of feeling. "You lied to me."

Mrs. Lovett shifted minutely, eyes downcast. Fear and shame and foolish love roaring within her, she braced herself for the fury, and it came.

"You _lied_ to me!" he shouted wrathfully. She winced, wishing she could evaporate, every syllable cutting into her essence like a knife. "All that time I trusted you, and you kept her from me!"

"Of course I lied to you!" she shouted back, unable to bear it. "I lied to protect you! Yes, she was alive, insane, couldn't even recognize you – death would have been a bloody relief for you both!"

"Don't pretend to be noble, you were only jealous!" His voice grew steadily louder, underlining the last word, hurling it at her like a curse. His face was pale and his eyes dark, demonic with rage.

"What if I was?" she cried defensively. "Can you blame me? I was jealous of your godforsaken razors!" It was true; while she had wanted to hide the truth from him, jealously had plagued her like a beast.

He advanced towards her, the razor shining mercilessly, but she was somehow unafraid. She lifted her chin and spat, "Oh, do your worst, you brute! We're already in hell."

Then his hand was a vice on her neck, like so many times before. She didn't try to resist as he slammed her against the rough of a tree, eyes burning, his breath hot and dank against her face.

Mrs. Lovett mustered her courage, trying not to feel the cool edge of the razor against her throat. "You ain't no saint yourself," she whispered. "Would you show no regrets? After I took you in and damn near saved your life?"

Todd bared his teeth in a hideous smile. "We all deserve to die, don't we, Mrs. Lovett?"

Her bravery short-lived, Mrs. Lovett struggled to meet his eye. "But you expected too much of me!" she wailed. "You lead me to think you loved me too. Me, all my nonsense about getting married someday, and you saying nothing to deny it!"

He did not reply, only looked at her with an unreadable expression on his face. "Let go of me!" she hissed. Todd released her and she stumbled away. "I wish I could hate you," she muttered. "You don't feel anything at all, you never have. You never did pay attention to me except when there was something in it for you. I should have known." She turned her back and shut her eyes, hugging herself against the chill breeze.

There was a long, heavy pause. She heard Todd walking towards her and whirled around. "I _should_ hate you!" Mrs. Lovett shouted in his face, throwing all caution to the winds. "You're impulsive and selfish and manipulative, everything I've always hated about men. But I love you, I do," she went on shamelessly, achingly aware of how foolish she sounded, "and truer than I've ever loved anyone in my life, and now I know that you don't give a damn but I love you!"

All at once, he leaned in and kissed her. His lips were cool and soft, and she felt electrified, her skin prickling with gooseflesh. It lasted less than a second but it was enough to completely throw her. She stared incredulously at him, and he back at her. He seemed utterly confused.

"What was that for, then?" she demanded, fighting a bizarre urge to laugh.

Todd smiled wryly. "Because I'm impulsive and selfish." The smile slipped away and he turned, retreating a few steps.

Her heart was beating impossibly fast, but she managed to keep her head. "Why – ?"

"Do you really think, Mrs. Lovett, that I felt nothing?"

"I always knew you kept to yourself," she murmured, "but I didn't think you were only using me, I didn't think you didn't care. Not until you killed me." The last sentence hung in the air like fog.

He faced her again, running his hands through his hair. "It's all so complicated," he muttered.

Mrs. Lovett threw up her hands, exasperated. "Then explain."

He remained still, and she walked over to him. "Come on, love," she prompted sarcastically. "Can't be that hard."

"I didn't –" he started in a low voice. She raised her eyebrows, watching as he struggled to put his thoughts into words. "I wasn't – "

"Hang on," she interrupted, thinking fast. "This is about Lucy, ain't it? Where is she?"

A murderous scowl flickered across his face before melting into sorrow. He turned his head away.

"She's not here," Mrs. Lovett said quietly, "is she?"

Todd closed his eyes and shook his head infinitesimally.

Ignoring the million thoughts that erupted, she whispered, "Oh, Mr. T, I'm sorry." She tentatively reached for his hand, and was a bit surprised when he did not draw away.

"I suppose if anyone was to go to heaven, it would be her," he said bitterly.

"She was good," Mrs. Lovett said softly. "Better than the rest of us."

The seconds ticked by for an unknowable amount of time, and they remained still until Todd turned his gaze to her again.

"I wish I hadn't killed you," he said, nearly inaudible. "We could have worked something out. I'm a fool."

"Quite right," she said bluntly. "You're a bloody idiot, you are." Todd glowered at her, and she knew he was feeling guilty about Lucy as well. "Don't beat yourself up, love. I guess it wasn't really your fault."

He looked at Mrs. Lovett mournfully, eyes roving across her face. She tried to smile as she said plainly, "I forgive you, then."

He opened his mouth, then shut it. She saw him swallow before muttering, "And I you."

Mrs. Lovett nodded and heaved a tiny sigh. "Where are we, anyway?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he grunted. "You said it yourself. Welcome to hell."

"This ain't really hell, is it?" she said in surprise. "Where's the rest of the Earth's scum?"

He almost smiled, and Mrs. Lovett smirked slightly. She reached up and stroked his cheek. "Mr. T, there's so much I will never understand."

"I suppose so, my dear," he said quietly.

Mrs. Lovett shyly averted her eyes. She moved in to hug him, and laid her head on his shoulder. After a moment, he took her in his arms, and they held each other in silence.


End file.
